04/25/2022
THE 2022 PILLER EXCELLENCE IN SCREENWRITING AWARD
Sydney Pope
Since I am retiring from Carolina and the WSS program, it was with pride, as my last public action, to present this year's award to an outstanding senior from the Writing for the Screen and Stage Minor, Sydney Pope.
Sydney brings an actor's eye to her writing, a performer's sense of purpose that naturally imbues her characters with dramatic urgency. This was on display in her short play for 2021's Long Story Shorts Festival in which a young woman, grieving over the loss of her grandfather, conjures up the male character of her favorite novel in an effort to find relief from the pressures of the outside world. Sydney, who played the lead character herself, brought the page to the stage with an author's perceptivity.
Her feature screenplay story, "Rough Diamonds," about a turn-of-the-20th-century runaway who joins an all-female, London, street gang feels authentic and historically accurate, despite her inability to time travel...yet. To that point, Sydney's an instinctive explorer, often reaching beyond youth and experience. Each project is simply another challenge, another hill to climb, another set of notes to address. She's a tireless re-writer, never losing faith, always pressing on, even when her instructors are shaking their heads. The lesson for them becomes clear over time...never doubt her ambition.
As Professor Michael Acosta writes....
"Sydney's script, “Rough Diamonds” is aptly named. Most of the drafting process felt... well rough. However, the final product was all diamonds. I was blown away with the work done to elevate this into a deep and engaging story. The re-write, which is currently underway, promises an even more entertaining, production-ready screenplay. I am proud to have been a small part of the process and think Sydney being recognized, reflects well on her diligence and devotion to craft."
Congratulations, Sydney. Consider this the first jewel in the crown of your future career.
Dana Coen
